Biblical Authority and the Negative Concept of Law

I fully affirm Biblical eldership and authority. When we make such statements, however, we must define our terms. “Authority” defined by one person may be Biblical, while to another the same definition may be tyrannical. Overly-simplistic statements such as “this angry person rejects authority” or “those ornery neo-Recons hate elders” are not only fallacious and foolish, they do little to further any meaningful conversation. Such haphazard statements are oftentimes slanderous when the words do not accurately represent the ideas of the person in question.

The topic of authority can be rather contentious. Everyone, especially the cantankerous and the overly-sensitive, should take a step back and ensure that they understand exactly what is being said. They should also make sure that anything they say, either initially or in response, is rational and well-defined as well.

To begin with, an examination of the meaning of Biblical authority is not a denial of authority. Neither is a criticism of other views of the topic, or even popular views of it. As Christians, we should be willing to examine ideas and principles and refine what has been passed down to us. It is possible to over-correct, but it is also possible to cling stubbornly to erroneous traditions.